Alphabets
by itsybitsyshelley
Summary: An A to Z of Buffy and Faith. 26 one shots for each letter of the alphabet. FF
1. Chapter 1

Alphabets

* * *

_A/N: I doubt that this hasn't been done before, just wanted to have a stab at it myself._

_Disclaimer: I don't own these characters._

An A-Z of Buffy and Faith moments. 26 one-shots for each letter of the alphabet.

A is for…

Awakening.

* * *

"You can go in you know." Buffy was startled by the soft, gentle voice, her slayer senses drowned out by the volume of the thoughts in her head.

"Umm, thanks" The preoccupied response left her lips with a weak smile whilst fumbling with the door handle and finding that it took a surprising amount of strength to open it, strength that was beyond the slayer kind.

She found herself here, yet again, by her bedside. The blonde slayer cast her eyes up and down the unconscious form in a routine that had become familiar over several months.

Buffy remembers the darkness, the hurt, the betrayal, remembers the silver knife hovering around her best friend's throat, the purple marks left by a slayer's hand on Xander's neck, the crunching impact of the arrow through Angel's chest and the roof…

The night on the roof changed everything, in the effort to extinguish her darkness she had touched her own.

Buffy finds the hospital room so white it hurts her eyes. Everyday she watches, making sure the steady rise and fall of her chest continues. She looks out for any signs of colour in the washed out features, which without their layers of paint are frail and girlish. She concentrates hard, eyes never leaving the still form, in case she misses a blink, a twitch, or any sign that she might wake up. Sometimes, the blonde slayer breaks from her thought to find one of her hands wrapped tightly around Faith's palm. Her skin is pale, with a smoothness that months without a stake in hand will achieve. Buffy takes fleeting comfort from the soft touch, until she realises what she's doing, and flinches like she's been burned.

It starts the flood of memories. Of vampires fought in synch, the clouds of dust enclosed them both in a private world that lasted seconds but felt like forever. Of the tingles that shot from head to foot in her presence, and settled into a comforting hum. Her mind remembers every thump of the bass coursing through their swaying bodies wanting to believe that it was just the rhythm that pushed them closer together.

Except that now the pulsing of the Bronze is replaced by the steady hum of machines.

Buffy doesn't speak, she just sits. When looking at Faith without her energy, without life, those dark eyes shuttered closed because of silver blade at her hand. She shuts her eyes to prevent the tears and the bile that rises in her throat.

The blonde slayer touched it briefly. She stood at the edge of the black hole as she slid the cold blade ruthlessly into Faith's stomach. Buffy now knows how thin the line is. She casts her mind back to every moment with the dark girl, every expression, every action, and remembers. Now she's not sure, if madness masked fear, if her betrayal was survival, and if she hurt because she was hurting.

"Excuse me, miss?" The nurse paces over and scribbles on the coloured chart, "hours up"

Wordlessly, Buffy nods and rises. The urge for one last touch breaks through her stubborn resolve and her fingers trail softly down Faith's arm giving her palm a last, soft squeeze. Hazel eyes trail once more over her still form, lingering on pale lips forming a soft pout even in sleep. Buffy imagines them slick with their usual shade, teasing, taunting and talking until stretching wide and bearing familiar dimples. Those dimples that were enough to make her flush brightly, whilst everyone else thought the blonde girl embarrassed by Faith's teasing. Only Buffy knew that her red veil hid a rush of pleasure when those dimples were directed at her. It didn't matter whether they were accompanied by a friendly smile or flashing menace.

On her way out, she pauses, swinging her head back for a last look at the comatose girl. Something plunges in her stomach whilst her heart soars. She realises. Her relationship with Angel was intense, but Faith. She makes her feel in mind, heart and soul…feelings that have pulled Buffy here frequently over the months.

Whilst unconsciousness keeps the dark girl in its thrall,

Buffy has had an awakening.

---


	2. Blind

Alphabets

* * *

_Disclaimer: I don't own these characters_

An A-Z of Buffy and Faith moments. 26 one-shots for each letter of the alphabet.

B is for…

Blind

* * *

She couldn't see it. I might have grabbed her stake outside the Bronze that first night in Sunny-D, but she took somethin' else from me that night, and she didn't have a clue. 

We slay together. Watching B fight is almost as good as kicking Vamp ass myself. Her grunts match my own as we wrestle the vampires. We dust 'em together. B appears from behind the brown cloud with her hazel eyes glowing and her chest heaving, my eyes lock onto hers for just a second.

We train together. Every punch or kick from her hurts like a bitch, but after the searing pain goes numb a shot of tingles follows. I lose my footing and she pins me, her body on top of mine moulding to every curve. I roll my hips to throw her off but my hips just meet hers. Before I can stop it the moan escapes. "Faith?" She says, eyes wide, but only with confused concern, "You okay?"

We dance together. B is a wicked dancer. There are bodies all around us, but the only one I can feel is her. Closer. Her hips brush mine and I throw my head back into the sensation and the thumping beat. She follows as we move to the heavy bass. I link her hands with mine above our heads and try to step even closer, when her eyes flicker open she smiles obliviously and grabs my wrist, "Thirsty?" she asks. If only she knew.

---

"Faith? You're not big with the listening are you?"

"I am" I say and nod as well. B carries on with her ranting. Its not that I don't like listening but I prefer to watch her. Especially the way her lips fit around every word and every expression. She's so carried away she doesn't even notice that I'm staring at them, or that I've moved closer.

"Faith?"

"Uh huh?" I smile again, I'm still listening. Watching.

Her mouth opens slightly, probably to continue her babble-fest. She frowns instead and her lips hang in a cute pout. My willpower takes a hike and all of a sudden my lips press softly onto hers. It's soft, insistent and explosive.

My eyes open inches away from her face. Her lashes are stroking her cheeks, eyes fixed shut. Half-smile on her lips,

Blinded.

---

My heart breaks outta my chest, when the demon takes her down. It musta been one hard knock to put B on her ass. Flinging the demon away for some of the baby-slayers to keep occupied, I get a half second to kneel at her side. Her blonde hair sticks to the nasty gash on her cheek, purpling and bleeding straightaway. She coughs a little, moaning painfully and my stomach flips again. Before I get a chance to ask, she rasps, "I'm okay baby, you need to help them" I look back to see Ken and some of the girls in trouble.

"Hold the line, baby, I'll be okay…I'll still be here" I smile reminding me of the first time she used those words, and what it meant for me and for us. Her eyes have darkened with pain, but she's determined to look me in the eye with themvuntil I can no longer ignore the pleas of the younger slayers. "Go" B insists.

"I'm comin' back for ya B" And it hurts so much when I have to back away. I stay facing her for as long as possible, eyes locked, until the moment when I have to turn. It feels like forever in five seconds.

"I know" She whispers, and through this, some of the worst battles her words lift up my heart. Because what we have is blind trust.

---

Dunno what it is about lookin' out onto the night that makes me feel alive. Reckon it's a slayer thing or something. Its nice to watch, to imagine the possibility of a night without the nasties. My t-shirt only reaches the tops of my legs, so the cool air hits my uncovered limbs and feels goodon my skin.

I feel something behind me and before I've turned around there is a length of heat against my backand blonde hair tickling my neck. "Hmm, those slayer senses kinda faulty, F?" Once she breathes into my ear, I meld into her.

Feeling her pressing against me is too much. I twist my face to capture her lips softly. Her arms come around my waist drifting down to my hips. That's it. I turn to face her entirely, pressing back with my equal strength. I win when she almost growls. I gasp almost crying when she pulls away and reaches around my back. I wish I didn't have the wussy urge to whine. She senses it, giggles and leaves a kiss on my nose before she reaches back again.

"Blind, silly." Buffy pulls the cord as the cloth falls across the night view. And B is a much better view than any night sky as she pushes me towards our bed.


End file.
